


the lovers,the dreamers, and me

by Ace Fest Mod (HP_Ace_Fest)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asexual Character, Asexual Sirius Black, Canon Universe, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26111653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HP_Ace_Fest/pseuds/Ace%20Fest%20Mod
Summary: School nurse Sirius helps students figure out their identities.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50
Collections: Harry Potter Ace Fest 2020





	the lovers,the dreamers, and me

**1989**

Sirius took a deep breath, rubbing his hands on his still-relatively-new white nurse robes.

Right. Managing the hospital wing without Poppy.

Right.

He could do this.

He almost jumped out of his skin when the door crashed open, revealing a ruffled, tear-stained Gryffindor clutching some white, billowing fabric. Almost before Sirius could recognize him— _Oliver Wood, new Gryffindor Keeper, third year—_ Oliver’s in hysterics, curling in on himself and sobbing.

 _Oh shit._ Sirius found himself leading Oliver to the nearest bed, sitting him down, and gently pulling the fabric—a bedsheet—from his grip. “Oliver, what’s wrong?”

Oliver took a shaking, sobby breath before bursting into tears again. Sirius put his arm around him, rubbing his back gently, while looking closer at the sheet.

“Oliver,” Sirius said quietly. “Did you get your period?”

Oliver nodded from where he was pressed into Sirius’s side.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” Sirius murmured. “Have you talked to your parents about transitioning? I have a potion that can help you feel more comfortable with your body, but we’ll need to get permission.”

Oliver sniffed. “I-I can do that?”

“Of course! Professor McGonagall can help you with Transfiguration, when you’re older, and there are several potions you can take that could help you feel more like yourself.”

Perking up and scooting away, Oliver asked, “Can I owl my parents right away? I’ve told them I’m a boy.”

Sirius grinned at him. “Of course. Now, let’s get you cleaned up.”

**1992**

Remus was still moving into the rooms allotted to Sirius in the hospital wing when he received his visitor.

“Cousin,” twelve-year-old Draco Malfoy said, rather snootily, if you asked Sirius. His pale fingers clutched around the chipped teacup Sirius had dubiously offered him. “I wish to speak with you.”

Sirius stared at him. Between the Welcoming Feast last night, and Remus moving in after that Quirrell character resigned, he was far, far too exhausted to deal with a mini-Narcissa.

“Well?” Sirius finally said.

Draco clenched his jaw like Narcissa did when she was determined, but the slightest bit of doubt flickered across his face. “Are you and Lupin to be wed?”

Sirius felt his face redden. “Er. No.” _Not that he’d want to, anyway._

“Oh,” Draco said, studying his teacup. “Can I—tell you something?”

“Of course,” Sirius said, still red and reeling.

“And you won’t tell Mother and Father?”

Sirius snorted, shaking off the last of his shock. “Kid, I haven’t spoken to Narcissa since I was sixteen.”

Hesitating once more, Draco finally mumbled, “I don’t want to get married.”

 _Ah_. Sirius nodded slowly. “Are you betrothed?”

“To Pansy, yes. And she wants… romantic things, but I don’t like her like that.”

“Is there someone else?” Sirius asked. “I won’t tell.”

Draco shook his head vehemently. “No…” He looked up, staring at Sirius with the Black family’s gray eyes. “I don’t ever want to. Like someone.”

“Okay,” Sirius said.

Draco stared at him. “I don't want to get married. Ever. Or… or have children. I’m broken! You’re a Healer! Fix me!”

There was a muffled bang from inside Sirius’s room and Remus poked his head out. “Is everything alright?”

Draco and Sirius stared at him. Making a split-second decision, Sirius said, “Love, could you explain something for me?”

Remus blinked and stepped out. “Sure. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Sirius assured him. “Er, I was just wondering if you could explain what, er, not feeling romantic emotions means.”

Remus snorted. “You mean being aromantic? Honestly, Pads, how _you_ got to be a Healer—”

“Oh, shut up,” Sirius grumbled. “Just answer the question.”

Remus shrugged. “An aromantic person is just someone who doesn’t feel romantic emotions, or want a romantic relationship. That’s all.” He cast a look at Draco. “Why?”

“No reason,” Draco blurted out, almost spilling his tea.

Remus smiled tentatively. “I have a few books about sexuality, if you want to…?”

Draco curled his lip, looking far too much like Lucius Malfoy than any twelve-year-old had any right to be. “Aren’t you supposed to be the _Defense_ teacher?”

Sirius glared at him. Remus looked like he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy. Just because I’m the Defense teacher doesn’t mean I don’t know anything else.”

Draco glanced to the side. “...Well, if you don’t mind my… I suppose I… might… be interested in that,” he mumbled.

**1994**

The sound of the Weird Sisters floated through the halls of Hogwarts. Sirius was hanging around the garden, waiting to catch any students who might try to sneak away for some canoodling.

“Look at us, all grown up,” Remus said, arms wrapping around Sirius from behind.

Sirius smiled wistfully, leaning into Remus’s chest. “Boring adults, the lot of us?”

“Oh, you’re not boring, Padfoot. I doubt you could ever be _boring_.”

Sirius winced, looking down. “Even if I can’t get it up?”

Remus stepped away from him and pulled Sirius around to face him. Putting his hands on his shoulders, Remus said, “No, of course not! I love you, but it’s not… because I’m expecting sex. I love you for you, Sirius. Not your dick.”

Sirius shrugged and nodded. Remus let out a harsh breath, then pulled him forwards into a tight hug. “I love you so much,” he whispered fiercely into Sirius’s ear.

**1995**

Sirius cracked his neck and blew out his breath, his ponytail flopping against his neck. _If one more straight smartass…_

Apparently, his and Remus’s exchange on Christmas had been overheard by a couple trying to do the very thing they had been guarding against. No one, it seemed, had noticed that he and Remus were literally living in the same quarters. And now it was all over the school—and the Beauxbatons carriage and Durmstrag ship—that Professor Lupin and Healer Black were having a secret affair.

It was extremely annoying, to say the least. Between the snooty looks from Igor Karkaroff to the sheer amount of students trying to catch him and Remus at it, Sirius was thoroughly done.

There was the sound of parchment scuffing along the floor and Sirius glanced up just in time to see a folded-over piece of parchment slide under the hospital wing’s door. Sighing, he walked over to the door, picked it up, and peered out into the corridor to look for the culprit.

The only person in the hallway, however, was coming _towards_ him. And definitely wouldn’t have resorted to slipping notes under doors to talk to Sirius.

“Harry!” Sirius said, stress draining out of him. “What’s going on? Is something the matter?”

“Er—no, not really,” Harry mumbled. “I just--er, I wanted to talk?”

Sirius chanced a glance at the note. Unfolding it, he saw a quick scribbling of a rainbow.

For the first time in three days, Sirius Black smiled.

**1996**

“But I’m straight,” Dean Thomas finished, looking quite agitated. “I’m dating Ginny, you know--”

Sirius winced. He did know, in fact. “Well, it is possible for you to be bisexual, Dean.” _I wish you and Seamus would just bloody snog already._

“But what if I’m _not_?”

Sirius shrugged. “Then you’re not. It’s really not as big a deal as you’re making it out to be.” A year as Hogwarts’s sexuality experts had rather disillusioned Remus and Sirius to the various pets students would get into, trying to figure out who they were, and honestly, if Sirius had been _this_ obnoxious when he was sixteen, he would be getting Minerva McGonagall an extra-expensive Christmas gift this year.

“It’s just that Seamus and I are _best friends_ …”

“Remus and I were best friends before we were lovers,” Sirius pointed out.

“Yes, but…”

***

“God, were we that argumentative as kids?” Sirius said later that night, flopping into bed. “I feel awful for old Minnie.”

“We were worse,” Remus replied dryly, spitting his toothpaste into the sink from their conjoined bathroom. “Honestly, I don’t know how she made it.”

“S’pose we earned the Weasley twins,” Sirius muttered gloomily. “I still can’t believe they found the map.”

“Yeah,” Remus said, stepping over the threshold.

Several things happened all at once: Peeves the poltergeist did a backflip through their headboard, Remus slipped on the linoleum, and, amidst the chaos, a small, black box skidded out from under the chest of drawers.

“Oh,” Sirius said.

“Shit,” Remus said.

Peeves had the good sense to dive back through the duvet.

“Remus,” Sirius said. “You--I--I’m _ace_. I-- what would we even do on the wedding night?”

Remus quickly bent and picked up the box. “We could sleep. Or, I dunno, watch a movie.”

Sirius laughed, slightly hysterically. “Watch a movie? When you could be getting your brains fucked out?”

“Sirius Orion Black!” Remus shouted, apparently losing his temper. “I don’t give a flying fuck that you’re ace. I love you. Will you marry me?”

“Fuck,” Sirius said, stunned. “Yes.”


End file.
